7 Years Later

On May 11, it will be 7 years since I graduated with my Bachelor's degree from U of A. When I realized that, I started thinking about the things I've done with and in my life since then. And really, it's not too much...but yet it's more than I thought I would do! I've worked some pretty shitty jobs in those 7 years...my first job right out of college being part time at Old Navy. Now that's definitely not something I thought I would be doing! I didn't really know what to expect after college, but I sure didn't think that with a college degree I'd be working part time at Old Navy. That only lasted a few months...and thank goodness because I was almighty depressed in the months that I worked there. I would sleep all day, go to bed at 4 or 5 in the morning, wake up around 2 or 3 in the afternoon and start over the next day. Except on those rare days that I had to work 6 whole hours at Old Navy. I would call my dad in tears, I would charge extra large pizzas on my over used credit cards, and I would buy cans of Coke out of the machine for 50 cents (thankfully I discovered that I could get 2 for the price of one if I hit a certain button). And I would sit in the dark in Seneca's apartment and torture her cat. I hated my life...not exactly what I was hoping for right out of college. Then Seneca told me to try a temp agency for a better job...so I went to Kelly Temp and she had a data entry job for me at Coresource...it was doing medical data entry...it was easy, it was full time, it paid pretty decent...and I could wear jeans to work! I worked there from September until December...because they were laying off our department.

And that's when my boss told me about First Health. I applied as soon as I got home and had an interview in November. It was the day after I came back from Alaska, where I had spent Thanksgiving. Little did I know that I would spend 2 years at First Health, and hate pretty much every part of it! But again, the job was full time, it paid well at $8.00 an hour, and it had benefits...nice! Everyone knows that I hated my job at First Health...I had negative hours of time off...I would make myself so sick so that I wouldn't have to go in. My boss was a bitch, the job was boring, and they were strict about what you could have on your desk...we weren't even allowed to have cell phones on our desk! But the one good thing that came out of First Health were two awesome friends...Jade and Marcy. They made the job bearable...and when Jade left, it sucked...now who was I going to talk to? And then thankfully one day, Jay told me that Melissa said that Embry Riddle was hiring if I was interested. Oh God Yes!!!

I went in for my "interview" and was pretty much told what I would be doing...as if I had been given the job already...and I had. A few days later it was offered to me and I couldn't believe how much money I would be making! I went from making ALMOST $17,000 a year to making I think it was $24,000. So that's what happens with a college degree! And for the most part, I like my job. I liked it a lot more up until July of last year but I guess I can't complain too much. It's usually pretty easy and most of the time, I don't have anything to do. I make more than $24,000, I actually have vacation/sick time saved up, and I don't make myself sick anymore. So all in all, it's a pretty good gig.

So in 7 years, I've had 4 jobs. I guess that's not bad. I didn't end up doing what I thought I would be doing...but then again, I didn't have any idea what I wanted to be doing after college anyway!

Enough about jobs, let's talk about boys...or maybe I should just say "boy." I've had one real boyfriend in 7 years...but we've been together 3 times. That's right, it's Jeremy. I met him through Marcy at a party at her house over 6 years ago. They were going to a Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers concert, Jay and I were going to help our friend Dawn move. Jeremy wanted me to go with them, I said no thanks. We met up a couple weeks later at an Icecats game...and that's where it started. The first time we were together lasted a year and a half almost. He decided it would be a good idea to make out with his ex-girlfriend. End the first attempt. We didn't talk for a few months and then he IM'ed me one day...he wanted to apologize. We got back together until February...when I started working at Embry Riddle...he didn't like that, we weren't happy, and we mutually ended it. End the second attempt. We didn't talk for a year and a half. And then he IM'ed me one day in October 2006...he wanted to apologize. We met at the Red Garter...begin third attempt. I didn't go into the third attempt thinking we'd end up together again...but it happened. We kept it a secret for a while because we knew what everyone's reaction would be: from my family, not good; from his family, not bad. Things were good until December 2007...we had talked marriage, the whole nine yards. And then he got a new job...and a new girlfriend...and we broke up for the last time in March 2008. End the third attempt.

Now during those off times, I "dated" a few guys but none counted as serious boyfriends. And that was fine with me. So there is the dating history...one serious boyfriend (3 different times) in 7 years...and some "dating." Not bad.

And oh, the places I've lived since then! I hate moving, and now I know why! After college, I moved into Seneca's apartment for the summer because she was doing an internship in DC and her lease wasn't up...and mine was. So I lived there first. After she came back and the lease was up, we moved into Rio Cancion together...place #2. We lived there for 9 months I believe. She was graduating from U of A and going to Michigan for law school...I had no idea where I was going to go...until, Jeremy's third roommate moved out unexpectedly...problem solved. So after Rio Cancion, I moved to Rita Ranch with Jeremy and his cousin for a couple of months. Once the lease was up out in Rita Ranch, Jeremy and I moved into the townhouse/condo/duplex thing...place to live #4. I lived there for a year...and then we broke up...still making shitty money at First Health, I couldn't afford a place of my own...so the logical answer you ask? I moved in with Jeremy's aunt...that's right, his aunt. Sally rocked...it was a great place for me to be! I kept to myself in the room I rented, not really coming out for anything since I had a TV in my room and Jay was lending me Sex and the City, and I wasn't eating much because I was depressed! So there's place #5. (Don't lose count because I'm not done yet) While living with Sally, I got the job at Embry Riddle...the day after I started at Embry Riddle, Jay and I moved into our apartment at the Retreat (place to live #6). We lived there for 2 years...well I lived there for a little over a year, and then it was just my stuff that lived there since I was basically living at Jeremy's. Then Jay moved back to Texas and once our lease was up in November 2007, I moved back into Jeremy's place (place to live #7). I put my stuff in storage, in hopes that one day I would be moving it into a different place with Jeremy. Surprise, that didn't happen. Instead, I moved it into my own apartment in March 2008 (place to live #8). So I've lived in 8 different places since I graduated from U of A 7 years ago...no wonder I hate moving!

I've also gained 5 nieces in 7 years...that's pretty impressive! Arianna was 9 days old when I graduated...but she came to my graduation anyway and I think that's awesome! I never thought I would have this many nieces but I'm certainly glad that I do!

I've made some amazing friends in 7 years as well. Some are friends I never thought I would consider my best friends, like Dave and Tami. A lot of my friends have moved away...Christine, Jay, Wendy, Melissa, Gillian. But I have a few that are still here in Tucson or Phoenix. I may not see them very often, but they are still my best friends. All of them...in state, out of state, out of country...whatever.

All in all, I guess it has been an eventful 7 years. I managed to pick up a Master's degree I never thought I would get. I'm living on my own for the first time in 7 years, which I never thought I'd do. I have 5 nieces I never thought I'd have. I am making a car payment. I'm an adult...and it only took 7 years!